Pneumatic counter with spring return

ABSTRACT

A pneumatic counter is disclosed which comprises a frame; rocker arm supporting means connected to said frame for supporting a rocker arm; a rocker arm pivotally connected to said rocker arm supporting means, with the rocker arm having at least one outstanding portion thereof; expansible chamber means secured between said rocker arm supporting means and the aforementioned outstanding portion of the rocker arm for rotating the rocker arm in a first direction in response to a pneumatic pulse being received by the expansible chamber; biasing means secured at one end to the rocker arm supporting means and at its other end to the rocker arm for rotating the rocker arm in a second direction opposite the first direction upon the discontinuance of the reception of the penumatic pulse by the expansible chamber means; counting means; and actuating means operatively connecting the rocker arm and the counting means for advancing the counting means in response to rotation of the rocker arm.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Peter H. Bauer PrimaryExaminer-Richard B. Wilkinson Montclair, NJ. Assistant Examiner-Lawrence R. Franklin Appl. No. 26,578 Allorney-Lerner, David &Littenberg l [22] Filed Apr. 8, 1970 Patented Nov. 23, 1971 1 1 [73]Assignee Gamon-cal eg l d u-i d ABSTRACT: A pneumatic counter isdisclosed which com- New'rkNJ. prises a frame; rocker arm supportingmeans connected to said frame for supporting a rocker arm; a rocker armpivotally connected to said rting means. with the rocker arm suppo atleast one outsta [541 PNEUMATIC COUNTER WITH SPRING RETURN rocker armhaving nding portion thereof;

expansible chambe r means secured between said rocker arm 5 Claims, 6Drawing Flgs.

U.S. Cl...

d the aforementioned outstanding porarm for rotating the rocker arm in afirst se to a pneumatic pulse being received by mber; biasing meanssecured at one end to pporting means and at its other end to the tatingthe rocker arm in a second direction 1 1 51 lnt.Cl 1 1 direction uponthe discontinuance of the reception of the penumatic pulse by theexpansible chamber means; counting means; and actuatin g meansoperatively connecting the rocker arm and the counting means foradvancing tation ofthe rocker arm.

the counting means in response to ro m fi e mm pl m i es w P mo 1 N 95533 22 2 SW m Nu m m an m: P S mew mm mum n $e N tin T oe I a-mm e wMLG"407 N266 Uwww 48 7 00 778 mm ll 5 6 U 23 11/1958 Greenwood et al......

PATENTEDuuv 2a |97l FIG. 2

INVlz'N'I'OR.

PETER H. BAUER LERNER, DAVID 8 LITTENBERG ATTORNEYS 1 PNEUMATIC COUNTERWITH SPRING RETURN BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates tocounters and more particularly to pneumatic counters which are extremelyreliable, simple, and inexpensive to manufacture, easy to assembly andservice; and applicable in virtually any environment where it isdesirable to count, i.e., accumulate the consecutive reception ofpneumatic pulses representative of a particular parameter beingmonitored.

In many situations where it is desirable to monitor a particularparameter at a remote location, it is preferable and some times evennecessary that fluidic means, rather than electrical means be utilizedto convey the necessary information. An example of such fluidictelemetering apparatus is disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,352,488 issuedNov. I4, 1967 to G. B. Greene.

In the Greene patent, there is disclosed a fluidic telemeteringapparatus for use with water meters, utility meters and the like. TheGreene system employs a transmitter at the site of the meter beingmonitored and a receiver of similar construction, positioned at someaccessible location relatively far removed from the normallyinaccessible meter. The transmitter in the Greene system includes a pairof expansible bellows one of which is expanded and one of which iscollapsed by direct mechanical actuation representative of the waterflow through the meter. The fluidic pulses generated thereby are thentransmitted by a pair of conduits to a pair of expansible chambers whichin converse relationship, expand and collapse respectively to generatemechanical motion utilized to advance the counting wheel located in thereceiver. Although the receiving end of the Greene patent functionsextremely well in the particular Greene system, it is extremely limitedas a general purpose pneumatic counter since the dual bellowsarrangement thereof dictates that it be used exclusively in conjunctionwith a transmitting end which similarly includes a pair of expansiblebellows.

However, in many fluidic telemetering situations, thetransmitting end ofthe system is, by previous design, not equipped with a double bellowsarrangement, or because of other considerations, can only be arranged toproduce consecutive single fluidic pulses representative of theparticular parameter being monitored. Thus as is, the Greene receivingsystem with its two conduitstwo bellows structure is completely uselessin thesesituations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION With a view toward utilizing existingmachinery, parts, and know-how, the instant inventors have labored toredesign the Greene receiver in such a manner as to produce a simple,inexpensive, extremely reliable, universal pneumatic counter which willoperate on the reception of single, discrete fluid pulses representativeof a particular parameter being monitored.

In accordance with the broad aspect of the instant invention, one of thetwobellows of the aforedescribed Greene receiver has been eliminatedand, in effect, replaced by biasing means which will return a rocker arm(which has been previously rotated by the remaining expansible chamber),to its initial position upon the discontinuance of the reception of thefluidic pulses being counted. Through actuating means to be described ingreater detail, the back and forth movement of the rocker arm isutilized to step a counter wheel and thereby provide an indication ofthe parameter being monitored at the transmitting end of the particularsystem in which the counter finds application. Thus with this relativelysimple, but long unthought of idea, the basic Greene type of receiverarrangement becomes a universally applicable pneumatic counter useful inany telemetering system which produces only single pulses.

Despite the apparent workability of the basic concept of the instantinvention, its implementation presented other problems which have beenovercome in a particular manner which represents significant inventivecontribution in and of itself. For example, and with reference to FIG. 2of the aforementioned Greene U.S. Pat. No. 3,352,488, once the instantinventors had conceived the idea of eliminating one of the bellows inthe receiver of the Greene system, one of the means of attachment of therocker arm 9l, 92 to the frame was eliminated, and there became a needfor a more positive fulcrum or pivotal connection between the rocker amof the new invention and the rocker arm supporting means or A- frametherefor. Such pivotal connection had to be established by a directassembly which would be simple, inexpensive to manufacture, and easy toassemble even by relatively unskilled personnel. In accordance with asecondary aspect of the instant invention, and as will be described ingreater detail, the aforenoted pivotal connection is established byproviding the rocker arm and the rocker arm supporting means with a pairof upturned flanges and ears respectively, each including an aperture,all of which are aligned such that a simple pivotal pin may be directlyinserted therethrough. As a further feature, such ears and flangesrespectively are integrally formed on their respective members therebysimplifying manufacture by facilitating a simple bending and punchingoperation on a minimum number of pieces.

As a further feature, completely new actuating means have been providedto mechanically interconnect the movement of the aforementioned rockerarm with the counterwheel which accumulates or counts the pulsesreceived by the expansible chamber. Thus, and as will be furtherdescribed, a generally .U-shaped member is provided one leg of whichcoacts with the driving gear of the counterwheel and the other leg ofwhich includes an elongated slot which receives the end portion of acenter leg of the oscillating rocking arm. The U-shaped member ispivotally connected to the frame and rotates about its pivotal axisinresponse to movement of the rocker arm to consecutively advance thecounterwheel. Such simplified construction has been found to be a vastimprovement over the reciprocating bar and necessary guide thereforwhich were required in the aforementioned Greene system.

Accordingly, it is an object of the instant invention to provide apneumatic counter useful in an endless variety of telemetering systemswhich produce consecutive single pulses representative of a particularparameter being monitored.

Another object of the instant invention is to provide such a pneumaticcounter which implements the above-noted object by the provision of manyengineering improvements with respect to similar devices in the priorart.

Another object of the instant invention is to provide such a pneumaticcounter which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture, extremelyreliable, easy to assemble even by unskilled personnel, and of suchbasic design as to take advantage of existing manufacturing equipment,inventory parts and existing know-how.

These and other objects of the instant invention may be had by referringto the following description in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view, with outer casing removed, of a pneumatic counterconstructed in accordance with the principles of the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is a view, partly in section, taking along the lines 2- 2 of FIG.1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the rocker arm of the instant invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view, partly in section of the pneumatic counterof the instant invention; and

FIGS. 5 and 6 are somewhat schematic views illustrating the principalsof operation of the instant invention.

Turning to the FIGS. wherein like numerals indicate like parts, there isshown the pneumatic counter 10 of the instant invention, with theexterior casing thereof removed for the sake of drawing clarity. Broadlyspeaking, the counter I0 includes a frame 12 which as best seen in FIG.4 is of generally U-shaped construction. A generally A-shaped rocker armsupporting means 14, having side portions 16 and 18 and a generallyplaner upper surface 20, is rigidly secured to the frame 12 by virtue ofextending tabs 22 of the side surfaces 16 and 18 being received in slots24 provided in one leg 26 of the frame 12. As best seen in FIG. 1, theupper planer surface 20 of the A-shaped frame 14 includes integrallyupstanding ears 28 in which are provided apertures 30, only one of whichis visible in FIG. 4.

The side portion 18 of the rocker arrn supporting means 14 carries thepanlike fixed portion 32 of a conventional expansible bellows 34, thediaphragmlike expansible portion thereof 36 being secured to anoutstanding arm 38 of a rocker arm 40 to be described in greater detail.A fluidic pulse carrying conduit 42 which carries the fluidic pulsesrepresentative of the parameter being monitored, is sealingly connectedto the panlike portion 32 of the expansible bellows 34 and causes thebellows 34 to expand upon the reception of a fluidic pulse carried bythe conduit 42.

As best seen in FIG. 3, the rocker arm 40 is of one-piece integralconstruction and perhaps is best described as being of W-shapedconstruction. That is, it includes the aforementioned outstanding leg38, a depending leg 44, and an oppositely disposed outstanding leg 46 ofa similar shape to the leg 38 but laterally offset with respect thereto.The base portions 48 of the rocker arm 40 which join the outstandinglegs 38 and 46 to the central leg 44 include integrally upstandingflanges 50 each of which includes an aperture 52 therethrough.

As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 4, the rocker arm 40 is so disposed withrespect to the rocker arm supporting means 14, that the central leg 44is disposed between the side portions 16 and 18 of the rocker armsupporting means 14, and the legs 38 and 46 of the rocker ann extendoutside of the side surfaces 16 and IS. The rocker arm 40 is maintainedin this relative position by a pivotal connection established betweenthe rocker arm 40 and the rocker arm supporting means 14 by means of apivot pin 54 which passes through the four apertures provided in thepairs of upstanding ears and flanges 28 and 50 respectively of therocker arm supporting means 14 and the rocker arm 40.

The center leg 44 of the rocker am 40 includes a generally narrowerterminating end portion 56 which as best seen in FIG. 4. is receivedwithin a slot 56 provided in one leg 60 ofa generally U-shaped actuatingmember 62. The other leg 64 of the actuating member 62 is somewhatlonger than the leg 60 and terminates in a generally C-shaped pawlportion which engages the drive gear 66 of a conventional counter wheel68. The actuating member 62 is pivotally mounted for rotation about anaxis 70 which passes through its legs 60 and 64 and is maintained in theopposite sides of the frame 12.

To complete the counter, biasing means in the form of a small spring 72is secured at one end to the side surface 16 of the rocker armsupporting means 14 and at its other end to the center leg 44 oftherocker arm 40.

The operation of the pneumatic counter of the instant invention shouldnow be apparent. Specifically, and with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, whena fluidic pulse carried by the conduit 42 is received by the expansiblechamber means 34, the diaphragm portion 36 thereof expands to rotate therocker arm 40 in a counterclockwise direction depicted by the arrowhead74 in FIG. 6. It will be appreciated that as the rocker arm 40 rotates,the center leg 44 thereof causes the biasing spring 72 to be extended.Upon the disappearance of the fluidic pulse, the spring 72 causes therocker arm 40 to rotate back to its initial position illustrated in FIG.5 thereby simultaneously collapsing the diaphragm portion of theexpandable chamber 34.

With reference to FIG. 4, as the center leg 44 of the rocker arm 40experiences its counterclockwise and then clockwise rotation about thepivot pin 54, the actuating member 62 connected thereto will experienceclockwise and then counterclockwise rotation about the axis 70 carriedby the frame 12. Accordingly, the longer leg 64 of the actuating member62 will oscillate in similar fashion and the pawl portion thereof willadvance the gear 66 and hence the counterwheel 68. It will beappreciated that the counterwheel gear combination is of conventionaldesign permitting unidirectional advancement only as the pawl portion ofleg 64 continually oscillates.

It will be appreciated that the above-described counter 10 is ofextremely simplified construction. easily assembled by even unskilledpersonnel and especially adapted to register the reception of fluidicpulses generated in a single line conduit. It should also be apparentthat the establishment of the pivotal connection between the rocker armand rocker amt supporting means established by virtue of the cooperatingears and flanges respectively provides a simple arrangement formaintaining the desired orientation of these parts with respect to oneanother.

Finally, the fact that the various parts such as the rocker arm and therocker arm supporting means can be fabricated by appropriate bending,cutting, and punching from onepiece, flat stock material significantlyreduces manufacturing costs and thereby permits the device toeconomically implement the desired result.

Although this invention has been described with respect to its preferredembodiments, it should be understood that many variations andmodifications will now be obvious to those skilled in the art, and it ispreferred, therefore, that the scope of the invention be limited, not bythe specific disclosure herein, only by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A pneumatic counter comprising:

a frame;

rocker arm supporting means connected to said frame for supporting arocker am;

a rocker arm pivotally connected to said rocker ann supporting means,said rocker arm having at least one outstanding portion thereof;

expansible chamber means secured between said rocker arm supportingmeans and said one outstanding portion of said rocker arm for rotatingsaid rocker arm in a first direction in response to a pneumatic pulsebeing received by said expansible chamber means;

biasing means secured at one end to said rocker arm supporting means andits other end to said rocker arm for rotating said rocker arm in asecond direction opposite said first direction upon the discontinuanceof the reception of said pneumatic pulse by said expansible chambermeans;

counting means;

actuating means operatively connecting said rocker arm and said countingmeans for advancing said counting means in response to rotation of saidrocker arm;

wherein said rocker arm includes a depending leg to which said other endof said biasing means is secured and to which said actuating means isconnected; and

wherein said actuating means comprises a generally U- shaped memberrotatably mounted with respect to said frame, one leg of said U-shapedmember operatively connected to said counting means, the other leg ofsaid U- shaped member having a slot within which is received saiddepending leg of said rocker arm.

2. A pneumatic counter comprising:

a frame;

rocker arm supporting means connected to said frame for supporting arocker arm;

a rocker ai'm pivotally connected to said rocker arm supporting means,said rocker arm having at least one outstanding portion thereof;expansible chamber means secured between said rocker arm supportingmeans and said one outstanding portion of said rocker arm for rotatingsaid rocker arm in a first direction in response to a pneumatic pulsebeing received by said expansible chamber means;

biasing means secured at one end to said rocker arm supporting means andat its other end to said rocker arm for rotating said rocker arm in asecond direction opposite said first direction upon the discontinuanceof the reception of said pneumatic pulse by said expansible chambermeans;

counting means;

actuating means operatively connecting said rocker arm and said countingmeans for advancing said counting means in response to rotation of saidrocker an'n;

wherein said rocker arm supporting means includes a pair of 5 frame, oneleg of said U-shaped member operatively connected to said countingmeans, the other leg of said U shaped member having a slot within whichis received said depending leg of said rocker arm.

3. The pneumatic counter of claim 2 wherein said rocker arm supportingmeans is generally A-shaped and includes a pair of side portions and agenerally planar upper surface, said upturned ears of said rocker armsupporting means integrally extending upward from said generally planarupper surface.

4. The pneumatic counter of claim 2 wherein said rocker arm is aone-piece member.

5. The pneumatic counter of claim 4 wherein said rocker arm supportingmeans is a one-piece member.

1. A pneumatic counter comprising: a frame; rocker arm supporting meansconnected to said frame for supporting a rocker arm; a rocker armpivotally connected to said rocker arm supporting means, said rocker armhaving at least one outstanding portion thereof; expansible chambermeans secured between said rocker arm supporting means and said oneoutstanding portion of said rocker arm for rotating said rocker arm in afirst direction in response to a pneumatic pulse being received by saidexpansible chamber means; biasing means secured at one end to saidrocker arm supporting means and its other end to said rocker arm forrotating said rocker arm in a second direction opposite said fIrstdirection upon the discontinuance of the reception of said pneumaticpulse by said expansible chamber means; counting means; actuating meansoperatively connecting said rocker arm and said counting means foradvancing said counting means in response to rotation of said rockerarm; wherein said rocker arm includes a depending leg to which saidother end of said biasing means is secured and to which said actuatingmeans is connected; and wherein said actuating means comprises agenerally U-shaped member rotatably mounted with respect to said frame,one leg of said U-shaped member operatively connected to said countingmeans, the other leg of said U-shaped member having a slot within whichis received said depending leg of said rocker arm.
 2. A pneumaticcounter comprising: a frame; rocker arm supporting means connected tosaid frame for supporting a rocker arm; a rocker arm pivotally connectedto said rocker arm supporting means, said rocker arm having at least oneoutstanding portion thereof; expansible chamber means secured betweensaid rocker arm supporting means and said one outstanding portion ofsaid rocker arm for rotating said rocker arm in a first direction inresponse to a pneumatic pulse being received by said expansible chambermeans; biasing means secured at one end to said rocker arm supportingmeans and at its other end to said rocker arm for rotating said rockerarm in a second direction opposite said first direction upon thediscontinuance of the reception of said pneumatic pulse by saidexpansible chamber means; counting means; actuating means operativelyconnecting said rocker arm and said counting means for advancing saidcounting means in response to rotation of said rocker arm; wherein saidrocker arm supporting means includes a pair of upturned ears each ofwhich includes an aperture therethrough; said rocker arm includes a pairof upturned flanges having apertures aligned with the apertures in saidears; further including a pivot pin passing through the apertures insaid ears and flanges for establishing the pivoted connection betweensaid rocker arm supporting means and said rocker arm; and wherein saidactuating means comprises a generally U-shaped member rotatably mountedwith respect to said frame, one leg of said U-shaped member operativelyconnected to said counting means, the other leg of said U-shaped memberhaving a slot within which is received said depending leg of said rockerarm.
 3. The pneumatic counter of claim 2 wherein said rocker armsupporting means is generally A-shaped and includes a pair of sideportions and a generally planar upper surface, said upturned ears ofsaid rocker arm supporting means integrally extending upward from saidgenerally planar upper surface.
 4. The pneumatic counter of claim 2wherein said rocker arm is a one-piece member.
 5. The pneumatic counterof claim 4 wherein said rocker arm supporting means is a one-piecemember.